12.01.09
Following criticism that its claims played on fears of H1N1, Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, MI, has decided to discontinue immunity statements on its Rice Krispies cereals. The city of San Francisco sent a letter to Kellogg and FDA recently, asking the company to support its claim that the cereal “Now Helps Support Your Child’s IMMUNITY.” The company said it began adding increased amounts of antioxidant vitamins A, B, C and E to Rice Krispies cereals last year in an attempt to respond to parents’ desire for more positive nutrition in kids’ cereal. However, while science shows that these antioxidants help support the immune system, given the public attention on H1N1, the company decided to discontinue its claims. “The communication will be on pack for the next few months as packaging flows through store shelves,” the company said in a press release. “We will, however, continue to provide the increased amounts of vitamins A, B, C and E (25% Daily Value) that the cereal offers. We will continue to respond to the desire for improved nutrition, and we are committed to communicating the importance of nutrition to our consumers.”